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10 interesting facts about Copenhagen

Originally a Viking fishing village founded in the 10th century, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. Nowadays, Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and most populous city of Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development in 21st century.

Kastrup (Copenhagen Airport) is the largest airport in the Nordic countries (serving roughly two million passengers monthly).

Copenhagen is contemporary Danish name, but originaly was Køpmannæhafn, meaning “merchants’ harbour”, often simply Hafnor Havn (“harbour”) or in English „Chapman’s haven“ or in Latin „Hafnia“ (The chemical element hafnium is named for Copenhagen where it was discovered and the bacterium Hafnia).

Shortly after the end of the Second World War, an innovative urban development project known as the Finger Planwas introduced in 1947, encouraging the creation of new housing and businesses interspersed with large green areas along five “fingers” stretching out from the city centre along the S-train routes.

Øresund bridge (which carries rail and road traffic) was opened in the summer of 2000 which now connects Denmark and Sweden.

On the cultural front, the lavish Copenhagen Opera House, a gift to the city from the shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller on behalf of the A.P. Møller foundation, was completed in 2004.In December 2009 Copenhagen gained international prominence when it hosted the worldwide climate meeting

The city centre lies in the area originally defined by the old ramparts, which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring (Fæstningsringen) and kept as a partial green band around it.Then come the late 19th and early 20th century residential neighbourhoods of Østerbro, Nørrebro, Vesterbro and The outlying areas of Kongens Enghave, Valby, Vigerslev, Vanløse, Brønshøj, Utterslev and Sundby followed from 1920 to 1960. They consist mainly of residential housing and apartments often enhanced with parks and greenery.

Copenhagen rests on a subsoil of flint-layered limestone deposited in the Danian period some 60 to 66 million years ago. Some greensand from the Selandian is also present. There are a few faults in the area, the most important of which is the Carlsberg fault which runs northwest to southeast through the centre of the city. During the last ice age, glaciers eroded the surface leaving a layer of moraines up to 15 m (49 ft) thick.

Copenhagen is in the oceanic climate zone. There is a difference of 10 hours and 31 minutes in the length of days and nights between the summer and winter solstices. On the summer solstice, the sun providing 17 hours 32 minutes of daylight and on the winter solstice, the sun providing around 7 hour of daylight. Very interesting.